For the second year in a row, the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival drew thousands of people and hundreds of cars to Springfield. Festival officials gave crowd estimates at 45,000 and registered cars at 707, both significant increases over last year.

�We knew we would exceed last year�s number of registered vehicles based on pre-registration figures a week before the festival,� said Rosendahl, festival producer. And when the cars came, the people followed, despite a minor setback with Friday night�s rain.

�We were disappointed that we had to cancel the parade Friday night due to the rain, but on Saturday and Sunday the skies cleared up and the streets were filled with people,� Rosendahl said. Last year the Friday night parade drew more than 15,000 to the downtown area, so the total numbers could have exceeded 60,0000 this year had good weather prevailed she added.

�We are thrilled that a little rain didn�t put a damper on the weekend,� said Rosendahl. �That tells us that people recognize this as a quality event.�

And one that will return next year. The Route 66 Festival was originally developed as an annual event.

�The results of the past two years have been phenomenal,� said Mayor Tim Davlin. �They support our belief that the community is ready for this type of event and that we have the expertise to produce this type of event.� �Each year we will enhance the festival by bringing in top notch entertainment, contracting with quality vendors, and above all, expanding the car show,� Davlin added.

While the festival brings in many vendors, it also has a positive impact on local retail businesses, especially those in the downtown area. Mark Kessler of Recycled Records said the festival crowd is tailor made for his business. �Car people are wonderful, interesting people who are willing to spend money on those things that make them feel nostalgic about the past,� said Kessler. He added that they store had a constant stream of people throughout the weekend.

Another downtown proprietor, Nena Barthold, who owns Details, said she had a constant stream of traffic from both locals and out-of-towners. ��The Mother Road Festival was great for downtown, great for business and great for the economy. What more could we ask for?� While easily accessible shopping is a plus for any event, the biggest draw for this festival was definitely the cars. This year the car show awards were held on Sunday, which kept more cars through the weekend and brought more people out to see them. Having a judge like Chuck Hanson was also a plus according to Rosendahl. �Chuck Hanson�s �HorsePower TV is watched by more than 1.3 million viewers each week. A national figure of Hanson�s caliber definitely kicks up the level of competition for next year,� Rosendahl said.

Next year�s dates for the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival are Sept 24, 25 and 26, 2004. The International Route 66 Mother Road Festival is sponsored in part by a grant from the Illinois Dept of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Tourism.

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Media Contact: Sharon Johnson +1 (217) 789-2360, ext 136 sjohnson@springfield.il.us